Officer Progression

Officer Career Progression:
An Army officer's career is generally a series of 2 and 3 year assignments, each one preparing you for the next. Personal abilities and preferences affect the choices a person makes, so there is no one career blueprint. There is, however, a general progression most officers' careers follow.

Getting Promoted:
One of the aspects of being an Army officer that people find very attractive is the structured promotion system. The promotion system is designed to help both the Army and the Officer. From our point of view, the system enables the best officers to reach positions of most importance and highest responsibility. From an individual officer's point of view, the promotion system assures qualified person advancement after a certain time. In other words, your career can never get endlessly mired at middle management. You're performance is reviewed on a regular basis during rating periods. You will be told you are being rated, and told what is expected of you during this period. We think this process is more than fair, and that it gives every officer a real chance to be at his/her best.

Lieutenant Phase:
Once a cadet graduates, he/she is commissioned as a Second Lieutenant. The first thing a young officer does is develop in his/her primary branch by attending the Basic Course. After that, some officers opt for Airborne or Ranger training (or both). But most go right to their first duty assignment. Progressing from second to first Lieutenant, the young officer applies his/her training and develops his/her leadership abilities. In fact, learning how to lead troops is the key objective of this phase. Promotion to First Lieutenant takes about two years.

Captain Phase:
A lot happens while you're a captain. The most important thing is to get experience as a company commander. A Company Commander normally is in charge of over 100 soldiers. Command experience, obviously, is a valuable resource throughout a career. During this phase, you attend the Officer Advanced Course. Then later in this phase, you will attend the Combined Arms and Services Staff School, which provides you with the necessary training to perform as a field grade staff officer. Additional training during the captain phase is your opportunity to become more valuable to the Army, since this is when you choose and begin to become qualified in a functional area. Promotion to Captain takes about four years.

Major Phase:
Being promoted to major signals a big step in your career. You've become a key staff officer in charge of such areas as Personnel, Intelligence, Operations or Logistics. You'll be given new assignments which permit you to use previously developed skills, as well as expand your overall professional development. The objective here is to develop further in your branch, and continue development in your functional area. Some officers area selected for Command and General Staff College or given the opportunity to attend civilian schools. Promotion to Major takes about 11 years.

Lieutenant Colonel Phase:
You're assignment might be as a Battalion Commander in charge of hundreds of soldiers or a general staff officer in a division or corps. Outstanding performance will merit more and more challenging positions. Some officers are selected for the Army War College. Where they become "experts" at their profession. Promotion to Lieutenant Colonel takes about 17 years.

Colonel Phase:
At this phase, the Army takes maximum advantage of your talents. This means you'll be assigned as a Brigade Commander in charge of thousands of soldiers or director of a large staff. Your technical skills and accumulated executive talents will be put to the test. This is the senior level of responsibility. You're a top executive. Promotion to Colonel takes about 22 years.

General Officer:
Officers who demonstrate extraordinary leadership and executive abilities are selected to be general officers; the CEO's of the Army. They do nothing less than run the Army. From division commanders to post commanders to high level staff positions, general officers are responsible for maintaining an efficient and effective Army. Promotion to General takes about 25 years.